MONTHLY DEVOTIONAL FOR 20 JANUARY
January 20, 2026
FEAST OF SAINT AGNES OF ROME, VIRGIN AND MARTYR – 21st JANUARY
January 21, 2026
TODAY’S GOSPEL READING
20 JANUARY, 2026
Mark 2:23-28
As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath,
his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.
At this the Pharisees said to him,
“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
He said to them,
“Have you never read what David did
when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?
How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest
and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,
and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD!
REFLECTION
In this passage, Jesus and His disciples walk through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and the disciples pluck heads of grain to eat. The Pharisees see this as a violation of sacred law, but Jesus responds by recalling how David, driven by hunger, ate the bread of the Presence. With this, Jesus reveals a deeper truth: God’s law is meant to serve life, not burden it. Religious observance without compassion misses the heart of God.
Jesus then declares, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath is a gift of rest, renewal, and freedom, not a rigid rule that crushes human need. By calling Himself “Lord even of the Sabbath,” Jesus affirms His divine authority and reorients the meaning of holiness. True holiness is found not in strict legalism but in love, mercy, and attentiveness to human suffering.
This Gospel invites us to examine how we live our faith. Do we use rules to draw closer to God and others, or do we allow them to become barriers? Jesus calls us to a faith that restores, heals, and gives life. When love guides obedience, God’s law becomes a source of joy and freedom rather than fear.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You are Lord of the Sabbath and Lord of my life. Teach me to understand Your ways beyond mere rules and customs. Free my heart from legalism and help me to see Your law as a gift of love meant to bring life and healing.
Give me the grace to place compassion above judgment, mercy above rigidity, and people above systems. When I am tempted to cling to externals, draw me back to the heart of the Gospel, where love fulfills every command.
May my faith bring rest to the weary, hope to the burdened, and glory to Your name. Help me to live each day in the freedom of Your love. Amen
